Have you ever witnessed someone making severe involuntary movements like jerking or flailing around without realising what they are doing? Most likely, the person is having fits or a brain seizure. It can be incredibly frightening to experience a brain seizure. If you experience seizures frequently, you may have epilepsy, a condition characterised by irregular electrical activity in the brain. Given the nature of epilepsy, the treatment cost can go up to INR 15 lakh or so, making it imperative for you to have health insurance that covers the same. Let’s check more about the disease, the expected symptoms, causes, treatment needed for the cure, etc.
What is Epilepsy Exactly?
Due to faulty nerve cell connections, brain cells in people with epilepsy send out erroneous electric signals. Multiple seizures are referred to as epilepsy. A seizure can be brought on by some life-threatening conditions, such as extreme dehydration or a very high body temperature. Epilepsy is the term used to describe someone who has such frequent, unexplained seizures.
Epilepsy is the most prevalent chronic brain disorder, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and it affects people of all ages. More than 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy. If diagnosed and treated appropriately, an estimated 70% of persons with epilepsy might live seizure-free. However, in low-income nations, about 75% of those with epilepsy do not receive the necessary care; in some, this number reaches 90%.
According to estimates, there are more than 10 million epileptics in India. There is a critical need to improve epilepsy services with less than 2000 neurologists and an estimated 5–6 million individuals with active epilepsy.
What are the Causes of Epilepsy?
The ways in which impulses are conveyed through the nerves can be impacted by various factors, including -
- Any deviation from the usual neuronal activity, such as severe disease, brain injury, or atypical brain development
- Irregular nerve connections
- Imbalance in the neurotransmitter, a substance that signals nerves
- Stroke
- Meningitis-like brain infection
- Severe brain injury
- Poisoning from alcohol or lead
- Congenital defects such as an infection or disease that disrupts the foetus' ability to develop its brain or a lack of oxygen to the baby's brain during delivery
- Brain tumour, but very rarely
What Signs are Most Typical?
The symptoms of epilepsy differ from individual to person. The symptoms will not change if the person consistently experiences the same form of epilepsy. A few epilepsy symptoms are listed below.
- Temporary perplexity
- Consciousness loss
- Jerky, uncontrollable arm and leg movements
- Psychic signs
Diagnosis of Epilepsy
Epilepsy cannot be diagnosed definitively by any test. In addition to a few test results, the diagnosis is made using expert knowledge, the patient's experience, or a witness' interpretation of the seizure.
Full medical background: Your doctor may ask about your past medical history, the length of previous seizures, and any symptoms that were present.
The electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures the pattern of brain waves, can help identify electrical activity.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which uses computer tomography to scan the brain, helps locate any abnormalities in the structure of the brain. To identify any functional abnormalities of the brain, positron emission tomography, a different method of brain scanning, is performed.
Children may have to undergo blood tests to look for metabolic or genetic conditions linked to seizure.
When epilepsy is discovered, it is best to begin treatment as soon as possible.
What Treatments are Recommended for Epilepsy?
Medication, surgery, device implantation, and diet are all used to treat epilepsy. About 70% of those who take the right anti-epileptic drugs have their seizures under control. Surgery may be recommended by your doctor if drugs don't work.
Only if the precise location of the seizure is known and that region of the brain does not obstruct vital processes like speech, language, or hearing can epilepsy surgery be performed. A small device is inserted under the skin of the chest to administer an electrical pulse to the brain while preventing aberrant electrical signals, which is another treatment known as vagus nerve stimulation.
A ketogenic diet, high in fat and low in carbohydrates, is typically used to treat epilepsy in children. This eating plan typically has antiepileptic properties. Your doctor will advise the course of action that best addresses your problem. The most effective treatment for childhood epilepsy is this one.
Is Epilepsy Covered Under Health Insurance in India?
Unfortunately, epilepsy is not currently covered by any health insurance plans in India. The new IRDAI standards have made it possible to indirectly insure against epilepsy through health insurance that also covers hereditary issues, mental illnesses, and psychological disorders. If these conditions are found to have caused you epilepsy, health insurance might cover the subsequent treatment expenses.
Conclusion
If epilepsy has been identified as your condition, don't lose heart. Live life to the fullest! People with epilepsy can engage in all activities normally and lead healthy lives, but obviously, more caution is needed. It is important that your loved ones are aware of your illness and understand how to respond if you genuinely have a seizure. A thorough comprehension of the illness might enable you to take control of your life.
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